Making a Case: What to Drink with BBQ

BBQ will be showcased at Blackberry Farm this Summer at both our BBQ Battle on the 4th of July Weekend as well as during our BBQ event in early August. As you know, the food never stands alone here; we often find a beverage to compliment the culinary creations of our team and guests.

But what to drink with BBQ? A fine question, and when answering it, one has to take into account not only the food for its smoky, tangy and yes, fatty flavors but also the setting in which it will be enjoyed.

For us this Summer, BBQ is to be served outdoors, and since it’s Summer, it will be quite warm. During the days, we love nothing more than a rosé wine made from Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah such as those you’d find all over Southern France (look to Bandol for wonderful Mourvedre Rosés). The cold, refreshing rosé is perfect for the hot days, and the black pepper, wild berry and herbaceous qualities provide a fine backdrop for the BBQ itself.

As day turns to evening and the weather is still warm, we switch to red wine – here we love to focus on Zinfandel. There are a number of reasons, but one main reason is that while Zinfandel is an incredible grape, it is not known for elegance or complexity. Rather, it is known for its forward qualities of pepper, fruit jam and intensity. This is exactly what you want to have when you are outside with the smoke of the BBQ pit wafting around you – a wine that you can still enjoy and that won’t be lost in the fray with all those other strong flavors and smells. Lamborn, Turley, Outpost and Martinelli top our list for American Zinfandel producers.

– Andy Chabot, Director of Food & Beverage